Ireland Royalty, Miami Law
by Snarkiness
Summary: When an Irish prince comes to Miami, Horatio has to call in his girlfriend Lara to translate. Of course, anyone from the royal family has strong connections--and not all good ones. When Lara goes missing, where can Horatio go to combat the Irish? H/OC
1. Ring Routine

No matter how long they were together, it never stopped being special. Horatio would have liked to say the longer they spent apart the greater the reunion, but he knew what it was like. It was like being deep underwater with an oxygen tank; it's fun in the beginning, but eventually the oxygen runs out. Long cases were hell on both of them. He because of the long nights without sleep, the gruesome scenes, and the horrid mounds of paperwork. She because he knew she watched t.v. and saw the same horrid things he did knowing he was there, and she waited up for him to be home. There were many times he walked in to find her passed out on the couch in her daytime clothes; those were the nights he would carry her down the hall and put her to bed, too scared of the nightmares to do anything but watch her sleep.

Meeting Lara Jordan had been a complete chance. He couldn't quite bring himself to thank the suspect, a man who had murdered an entire family including three children and didn't speak English, but he often came close. Lara was a linguist on special pay by the department. She was hardly ever needed, and Horatio found it quite sad her multi-tongued skills went to waste. It always brought a smile to his face when she would curse softly in multiple languages. One didn't have to know the language to get the gist of her words, not to mention she had the bad habit of blushing afterward. The entire team had celebrated by going out to dinner, and they asked Lara to come along. She had helped to break the case, after all. Eventually the numbers dwindled until only the two of them were left. That one didn't count as the first date, but it was the start of something powerful.

They had been dating for six months; that included fifteen dinners, three movies, and several dances. Then she had moved in with him, and though they were still dating by technical standards Horatio didn't like thinking of it that way. It made him feel like a teenager to refer to Lara as his girlfriend. So in his mind they stopped 'dating' when she moved in four months ago, although he didn't know what that left them with. Ten months, and no title. Maybe it was better that way, with no pressure or obligations. Her father worked in the BAU of the FBI, and he often found himself the focal point of her profiling skills. It made him squirm in his chair to notice how accurate she was, and she would often apologize later. She never meant to do it, she told him. She had grown up with it and it had stuck with her. It came in handy a lot of times, for both of them. She tried hard not to profile, but either way he couldn't hide anything from her. He didn't want to anyway, and that alone should have scared him.

He thought of all this as he sat on their leather couch with his arm around her shoulders. She snuggled deeper into his side as the movie grew more intense, and his lips twitched on a smile. She hated scary movies, and even though this wasn't one she was quite jumpy. She was terrified of spiders and thunderstorms, and heights made her shake although she loved flying. She was full of contradictions and a Rubix Cube to solve, but Horatio loved every minute of it. She was stubborn and hot-headed, and she loved animals with a passion so intense that it had landed a small Bichon Frise at their feet. He couldn't say no to her, and the dog was great besides. She was originally born in Italy, and she had once told him her mother would kill her if she saw how short her brunette hair had been cut. When Horatio had met her it had hung almost to her waist; a thick tangle of bushy brown that was often thrown into a sloppy bun to help her concentrate. Now that her hair was chopped into a stylish cut to frame her chin, she had to bite on her lip to help herself focus.

When Lara shifted again, Horatio bit back a laugh and pushed her slightly so she would sit up. She shot brown eyes at him that swam with confusion, but he laid back against the arm of the couch and uncrossed his legs. She beamed brightly as she stretched out across the front of him and buried her head in his shirt, turning back to face the movie. He laid his arms across her upper back, and she was content. They had done this so many times he had lost count. Angel looked up at them as they adjusted, but she laid her head back down on tiny paws without commenting. Horatio would have never seen himself with a dog before Lara; he was never home to take care of one, and then Marisol had been allergic. He found that he rather liked the small changes Lara had made.

The movie still had about half an hour left, but five minutes after they had gotten comfortable she was fast asleep on him. He didn't even have to look at her closed eyes to know it; he could feel her steady breathing against him become slow, and the arms wrapped around his back became lax as she drifted. The movie wasn't really interesting him anyway, so he brought his knees up to get a better hold on her torso. She mumbled quietly but didn't speak. She was an extremely light sleeper, but he could convince her to fall right back asleep if she woke up. He stood from the couch, throwing one arm under her knees and his other behind her head. Clutching her against his solid chest, he carried her to the bedroom. Angel ran ahead of him, stopping every few steps to make sure he was following.

"I know how to get there..." he mumbled softly. Lara shifted again, so he stopped talking. Their bed was covered in a mahogany-and-black striped pattern, and he pulled it back to lay her on solid black sheets. When he covered her, her eyes flickered open to glance at him sleepily. "Go to sleep, sweetheart," he whispered. She groaned softly, fluttering her eyes back closed.

"Where 'r you goin'?" she slurred. He grinned and leaned down, kissing her cheek softly.

"Angel is right down here with you. I'm going to go finish the movie." She shook her head, but she was asleep by the time he straightened up.

He shook his head, still grinning, and turned to head back toward the couch. He stared at the screen for several minutes before clicking it off and heading toward the desk in the corner. He pulled a small, silver key from under the pencil holder and opened the bottom drawer, pulling out a black velvet box. When he opened it, the lamplight glittered off a diamond ring and he sighed. He plucked it out gently, turning it several directions in the light.

"I know I said today, but I'll ask tomorrow."

He locked the ring back up and clicked off the lamp, heading toward the bedroom. It was the fourth night in a row he had completed the ring routine.


	2. Royalty

Not many people knew about them. It wasn't that they were keeping it a secret, per se. It was just that Horatio wasn't willing to let Lara lose her job over the two of them. It was bad enough that Rick Stetler felt he needed to get involved over ever tiny thing so he could have just one more shot at Horatio. Willingly offering Stetler an excuse on a silver platter would have been a bit extreme, so Horatio hadn't said anything to anyone. He knew that Natalia and Lara were good friends, and that Calleigh often spent time with them as well, but as far as he knew Lara hadn't said a word. He hadn't told her not to. It must have been another profiling trick.

Horatio leaned back in his office chair, pursing his lips and laying a finger on them. The open case file in front of him seemed to be laughing. The suspect, Eoin De'Leary, was from Ireland and spoke very little English. Ryan seemed sure that he was faking, but either way Eoin wasn't saying much. Horatio knew without one shred of doubt that Lara needed to be called in to deal with the case. He had full trust in her skills and knew she would remain completely professional throughout. In truth, he didn't know what was holding him back. He had looked to the phone three times and almost reached out twice, but each time he caught himself wondering: what if?

What if Rick Stetler came in? It was officially a case of international interest, and quite frankly Horatio was surprised he hadn't stopped by already.

What if someone noticed? Horatio found himself getting more and more invested in their relationship each day, and he knew it would be hard to keep it quiet much longer. A bigger question: did it matter anymore?

Horatio was positive that Lara wasn't worried about her job. She had told him so when he voiced his concerns a week or so ago. He had bitten his lip on other thoughts, and she had seemed to know he was holding back. She had simply smiled at him and turned away. Lara was keeping silent for him, and he knew how much it had to be eating at her inside. All those times spent with Natalia and Calleigh and not being able to share something this big with them? It couldn't have been easy.

With a sigh of frustration and acceptance, Horatio reached for the phone and dialed his own number. He found himself awaiting her voice; it seemed every other time he called her she answered with a different language, and it always made him smile.

"Bonjour."

His mouth broke open with conscious thought behind it. "Hey." His voice was barely above a whisper, but he knew she would hear him. She always did.

"Horatio! What's up, mi amore?"

He chuckled softly before answering. It still felt like the words were being dragged out of him. "I may need you--I do need you--to come in and take a stab at something."

"Oooh, intriguing. Who is it this time?" Her enthusiasm was obvious and catching. Horatio found himself more attached to the idea.

"Eoin De'Leary, here from Ireland. He claims to not--"

"De'Leary?!"

Horatio found himself unagitated by the interruption, which failed to surprise him. He could never be angry with her in any way. Instead, he raised an eyebrow. "...yes?"

"Horatio, don't tell me you don't know about the De'Leary's."

He huffed a sarcastic laugh, turning in his chair to face out across the lab. People ran about, everyone on seperate jobs and in their own worlds. "I must say, dear, that my history skills are sadly lacking."

A bubbling laugh was his only answer for a few moments, but she dove right back in. "Prominent family from Dublin. The dad, Richard De'Leary, owns a castle and everything. People say he practically runs Dublin. Eoin and Mark are the two sons, and they have a sister named Shawna."

Horatio whistled lowly, reaching out to bring the file into his lap. Eoin's dark eyes and red-brown hair stared up at him, a sneer twisting the corner of the man's lips. Horatio curled his own lip in return. "So he must think of himself as a prince, then."

"Horatio, he practically is a prince."

Horatio nodded. "Well, it sounds to me like you're up for an interrogation?"

She squealed, and he felt his face light up in response. "Am I ever! A chance to interrogate royalty? Count me in."

The line clicked before he could respond. He shook his head in disbelief before hanging up the phone. Moments later, a knock pounded his door. Ryan stormed in, face red and Jesse Cardoza not far behind him.

"You'll never guess what I just figured out about Eoin."

"Don't tell me. He's some kind of Irish royalty?"

Ryan froze, his mouth opened and ready to share the same news with him. He shut it slowly. "Well. I guess I'm a little behind."

Horatio pushed his chair back, clutching the file and heading toward the building's entrance. "Just a little."

~*~

Lara felt herself restraining the urge to leap into Horatio's arms the moment she saw him. She was quite aware of Calleigh and Ryan standing just behind him, both talking quietly to their boss as they waited for her arrival. She climbed out of the SUV slowly, running a hand through her scruffy hair before sliding gracefully toward the trio. Horatio smiled at her, his eyes down, and she found her heart pinging at the sight as it always did. She smiled back. Calleigh gave her a quick hug, and Ryan nodded at her. She returned both.

"Ready for your shot at the prince?" Horatio murmured softly. Lara beamed, feeling entirely special right at this moment. They needed her, and she wasn't about to let them down. She wasn't needed often; at least not professionally.

"You bet," she quipped. Calleigh grinned. The four of them headed inside.

Eoin De'Leary looked as polished as he had on the cover of the magazine Lara had seen him on. He smiled politely at her when she walked in, acting as if he weren't on the wrong side of the table. She found herself less enchanted with him the moment she saw the barely hidden madness in his eyes. She realized suddenly she had forgotten to ask Horatio what Eoin was being accused of. Murder? Rape? Her stomach clenched. She loved her job, but not Horatio's. Her stomach wasn't up for the sight of blood and broken bones. Swallowing hard to get herself back on task, she plopped herself into a chair and smiled brightly.

"Dia dhuit."

Eoin's grin became wider, and more lethal. Lara felt Horatio's hand clench the back of her chair, but she ignored him. Eoin seemed like he didn't want to talk, so Lara continued on in his silence. "An bhfuil Bearla agat?" Eoin's only response was shaking his head, though one eyebrow rose in surprise. Even though Horatio was right behind her, an officer stood in the corner, and both Calleigh and Ryan were watching from behind the observation glass, Lara felt exposed and in danger. She cleared her throat. "Taim i gcruachais anois."

He laughed lowly, the sound grating on Lara's already fraying nerves. She gritted her teeth and prepared to continue on, but Horatio cut in first. "Can you explain your fingerprints at Jessica Daniels' house? They covered her bedroom wall, and layered the bathroom and kitchen."

Horatio slid some photos of enlarged, dusted fingerprints across to Eoin. He glared at them, then back up to Horatio. Every trace of fear and anger vanished as if it had never been. He glanced from Lara to Horatio, then back again. It was obvious he could understand English perfectly well. Lara could understand now why Ryan had been so convinced he was faking.

"An bhfuil tu posta?" Eoin's voice was low and confident. He was a man who was sure he had the upper hand. Most likely arrogant and unafraid, Lara mused. If he found a weak spot, or even suspected he did, he would cut deep and not hold back an ounce. She answered immediately.

"No." She ignored the lovely images that question sent her. She had often wondered where she and Horatio stood, but her fingers were bare. He should have noticed that. She tried to draw a breath to continue, but he cut in again.

"An gno pearsanta no oifigiuil e?"

Lara snorted. She didn't understand why he kept asking questions about her and Horatio; it didn't make sense. He shouldn't have cared. "Oifigiuil." Eoin's eyes flashed at her announcement, and he slid a foot toward her under the table. She felt it crawl up her leg, and she shivered with a flinch. "Stad!" she demanded. He laughed. Damn, she snarled inwardly. He found his way in. Horatio unclenched his fists from her chair and slammed a hand on the table. He didn't need to see what had happened to know she was uncomfortable.

"We have enough evidence to keep you locked up, so I suggest you quit messing around and talk." With his face inches from Eoin's, there was no mistaking his seriousness. Lara knew he was bluffing, though. Eoin must have known it too. The Irishman managed to smile.

"Coimhead fearg fhear na foighde," he murmured softly. Horatio's shoulders tensed, but he held his stance. Lara knew he was confused, but she could not repeat the prince without giving him the upper hand. She scowled, trying her best to not let her lip quiver.

"Do you understand what is going to happen to you, Eoin? An dtuigeann tú?"

He didn't flinch. "I know that my brother will be here soon, and you won't be able to touch me." His accent was so thick it was hard for even Lara to understand him. Horatio grabbed Eoin's hair and yanked back the prince's head, his eyes blazing wildly.

"Really? Is that what you think, Eoin?" He didn't seem fazed by the fact that his suspect had suddenly learned English. Lara stood, and Horatio released Eoin. The cop in the corner came to collect him and lead him away. The moment he was out of sight, Lara shuddered and rubbed her arms. "What happened, Lara?"

Lara shivered again. "He was trying to throw me off, Horatio. He asked if we were married," she paused here to glance at him; he blinked in surprise, but nodded for her to go on, "and I told him no. Then he asked if it was personal or official." She stopped to laugh harshly before continuing on. "I told him official, and then he..." She looked at him, noticed how his jaw tightened and he averted his eyes. He knew. He had seen, and it explained the sudden burst of anger. "Beware the anger of a patient man," she translated in a mumble. Horatio flickered his eyes toward her. "He said that when you slammed your hand on the table. That's it."

Horatio nodded, not having time to say anything before Calleigh and Ryan sauntered in. "I knew it!" Ryan growled. "The damn Irishman was playing us the whole time."

"I'm sure he speaks multiple languages. He's a diplomatic brat," Calleigh cut in. She sent her gaze to Lara, and it turned apologetic. "I didn't mean--"

"I know," Lara amended. "Don't worry about it." She was surprised about how hard her own voice was. She couldn't get that creep's eyes off of her. The way Horatio looked at her, he knew it too.

"This isn't over, Horatio," Ryan foretold. Calleigh shook her head, and Lara looked to Horatio. He nodded.

"I know."

Lara shuddered.


	3. Right Number, Wrong Answer

Horatio squeezed Lara's hand one last time before he let her climb into her SUV. She smiled brightly at him as she backed away; he shaded his eyes against the sun and watched her go. There was still anger burning inside of him from the interrogation stint Eoin had pulled. Touching his girlfriend? It didn't matter that he had only slid a foot up her leg. In fact, that was much worse than several smaller things he could have done. Just thinking about it sent his blood boiling, so he turned away and headed back inside.

Eoin hadn't lied. It was only minutes after the cop escorted Eoin to holding that Mark De'Learly had shown up, talking big and holding an official order from Ireland that his brother should be released. They conversed quickly and quietly in Irish; Horatio had no clue what they said, but it was enough to turn Lara pale. He had stepped closer almost involuntarily, willing to protect her from the things he didn't understand. He had asked her later, but she had thrown on a weak smile and insisted it was only trivial things about 'back home'. He didn't have to have a profiler for a father to know she was bluffing. He hadn't pushed her because he knew if it was important to the case she would have shared it immediately. Now he was starting to wish he had. She had been unnaturally silent as she left. He was so used to seeing her bubbly and energetic that it unnerved him deeply to see her so disturbed.

He hoped a warm shower and some time spilling out her troubles to Angel would help. He found it puzzling that she spoke to the dog like another human, but he never commented. He had seen far stranger things, and quite frankly he found it telling of her compassionate personality. He determined to call and check up on her later. For now, he settled for stalking over to the spot where Calleigh and Jesse were talking in low tones. He felt absolutely no embarrassment cutting in.

"Where is Eoin now?"

Calleigh looked to him, not seeming surprised at the question. "We couldn't keep him once Mark brought the order in. The two of them left together...some redheaded woman driving a Porsche squealed them off."

Horatio nodded, assuming it must be the sister Shawna. "We need to find evidence that no judge, Irish or American, can overturn."

Jesse suddenly spoke up, and both of them turned to face him. "Well the whole family has mob connections in Miami. That's obvious."

A painful flick hit Horatio in the chest as he considered the Male Noche, but he pushed it over immediately. "Which gang?"

"There are rumors of an underground international gang," Jesse informed him. "Like a law-breaking embassy."

Calleigh shook her head. "There could be people from all over the world here, and all of them with connections and visas to keep them out of jail. What are they doing?"

Jesse shrugged. "Same thing every other gang does is my guess. Drugs, hookers, smuggling..."

"Murder," Horatio supplied with a dark tone. Calleigh seemed surprised at his vehemence, but Jesse took it in stride.

"Murder," he agreed.

Horatio felt something tug at his mind. His eyebrows furrowed and he turned away to storm to his office. He knew exactly the gang Jesse was talking about, and it had crossed his mind earlier. The Global Marauders, they called it, and everything Jesse had said applied. He had already locked up several of their people, and no two from the same country. The feeling intensified, and his steps quickened. He didn't even bother to sit in his chair before he picked up the phone and dialed home. It rang exactly five times before the answering machine picked up. Without letting the automated voice finish talking, he hung up and tried again. She was likely in the shower, and he knew if he tried later, then...

"Hello, Lieutenant Caine."

Horatio felt his breath catch painfully, and his fist clenched against the desktop. "Eoin."

The deep voice chuckled, and the heavy accent came back on the line. "Your girlfriend lied, Lieutenant. I don't appreciate liars."

Horatio felt the anger boiling to a higher point, and he clenched his teeth. He could barely manage to grit out, "Dare to touch her, and I'll hunt you down."

Eoin laughed louder. "I've already dared to do much more than that, Lieutenant. She would like to speak with you, but the gag prevents more than sobs and muffled screams."

Horatio threw an arm out, his mind not even registering the shattering of the lamp against the wall. "LET HER GO!" he raged. Natalia and Ryan burst through the door, both pulling back at the sight of his semi-destroyed office. Ryan made hand signals over his shoulder, and Jesse was there in moments, headset in hand. He plugged it into Horatio's laptop, and a few keystrokes later the WiFi picked up the phone's signal and transmitted through the speaker. "Let her go." Though his voice was milder, there was no less venom than before.

"That would be far too easy, Lieutenant. I'm thinking more along the lines of a little vacation. How many places have you taken her, Caine?"

Though he didn't show it, Eoin's remark hit below the belt. Horatio couldn't reply for several moments.

~*~

_"Paris," she blurted suddenly. Horatio raised an eyebrow at her, and she blushed. "From last night. You asked me where I most wanted to go, and I had to think about it. Well, not really, but I didn't want to tell you..."_

_"Why not?" he snickered gently as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her closer and she laughed in delight before burying her face in his shirt._

_"I don't know. No one has ever taken me and I never thought about going alone. It's far away, and expensive, and--"_

_"Done," he interrupted firmly. She looked up at him, throwing her arms around his neck and showing him her shining eyes. _

_"Really?" She looked so hopeful...there was nothing in him to deny her with._

_"Really."_

_She kissed him with all she had, and he could practically taste the gratefulness on her lips._

~*~

Work had always gotten in the way. That promise was two and a half months ago, and where were they now? Still in Miami, with not as much as plane tickets. He had planned it for their honeymoon, but he had chickened out on asking her for so long-- "I won't tell you again, Eoin."

"Love is a sickness, lieutenant. Nil aon leigheas ar an ngra ach posadh. But you couldn't do it, could you?"

"I'll get you, Eoin. And you won't get out this time." Horatio was surprised that the phone wasn't bending in half under the weight of his rage.

"Éirinn go Brách," the Irishman whispered. A click signified his exit from the conversation, and Horatio threw the phone across the room. Jesse took off his headset, already talking.

"The police are on their way to your place."

It meant nothing to him. He knew that Eoin was already gone; he was too good to not know the police would be on their way, and he could be halfway to anywhere after hanging up that call. Horatio put his hands on his hips without thinking. It helped him focus, and he needed that more than anything. Lara needed him to focus.

"Where would he take her?" Ryan asked quietly.

Natalia spoke up, "She's brilliant. If he takes her anywhere around the rest of the Marauders, she can speak all their languages. He'd be helping us more than he was hurting her."

"Which is exactly why he wouldn't do it," Jesse pointed out. Calleigh came in late, already informed and buzzing with intensity.

"He's taking her to an abandoned warehouse. One of the members we already caught gave up the location weeks ago." As always, when she was frustrated her accent was twice as thick.

"The police have gone through that and picked it clean, Calleigh. It's sealed off and not open to the public," Ryan deliberated calmly.

"Exactly. He'll take her someplace where there isn't any danger of being searched." She sounded confident, but her voice quavered on the last note. She was bluffing, and everyone in the room knew it. She had no idea where he was or where he was planning to go, but it was all they had. They could fly on hope if it landed them somewhere relatively close.

"Let's go," Horatio fumed, already halfway out the door.

~*~

_"If something ever happened to me you'd save me, right?"_

_"Of course," Horatio mumbled back. There was no hesitation, and the drowsy murmur was confident. She smiled against his chest and shifted against him. Part of him wondered why she would bring this up, and part of him was scared to ask. She answered for him._

_"I just...I don't know. I mean, I know you'd do whatever it took to help me if I was in trouble. I just wanted to make sure you knew."_

_The emphasis she put on 'you' caught his attention, and he tilted her chin up to face him. All traces of tiredness were gone from his eyes, and he felt as though he had been awake for days instead of five minutes. "What do you mean?"_

_She tried to hide her eyes again, but he wouldn't let her. She sighed and blurted, "Well you carry around so much blame, and most of it isn't even yours!" She shifted again, this time uncomfortably, and cleared her throat. "I just don't want to be another one of those things you carry on your shoulders. If I was in trouble, I wouldn't want the world to stop turning for you. Yeah I trust you to get me back, but if you don't--"_

_"I would," he ground out. His tone left no room for argument, but she tried anyway._

_"I know. But if you didn't, I wouldn't want you to blame yourself."_

_"Nothing is going to happen to you, Lara."_

_She smiled and kissed his chin. "I know. I love you."_

_"I love you, too."_

~*~

Horatio was determined. Lara needed him, and he would find her. His sirens were blaring, and maybe 90 mph in a 40 zone was overdoing it, but he needed to see this warehouse with his own eyes. Hope had never been enough for him, despite his constant preaching on not giving up. He knew where hope left people, and it was never pretty. He clenched his jaw and drove faster.

The twenty minute drive took eight minutes, and Horatio burned rubbed slamming his brakes. He didn't even register that the Hummer was still running when he lept out, firearm in hand. Sirens called in the far distance, but he couldn't make himself wait. He hugged the wall and held his breath, throwing open the door and running inside.

"Miami-Dade police!" He stopped short, trying to remember how to breathe right. When Calleigh and Jesse arrived five minutes later, Horatio hadn't moved. Calleigh growled under her breath, "Damn." But Horatio was too far gone to hear her.

The entire warehouse was empty.


	4. Rick Stetler

The police spent over an hour at the warehouse, which seemed pointless. The place was scraped clean, with no sign that anyone had been there since they had searched it those weeks ago. Horatio was beginning to feel empty. Numb, and in the worst way. He knew Calleigh was talking to him, but her voice zoned in and out. He was too busy trying to think of where they could have possibly taken Lara. The strong hand that clasped his arm steadied him, and he blinked back to the present to see Stetler's face. The man had an eyebrow raised, as if he had been speaking unheard for a while. Seeing that he had the lieutenant's attention at last, he cleared his throat and started over.

"Since Lara Jordan is officially missing in action and she is a department officer, IAB needs to interview you." The man seemed uncomfortable, as if he was afraid of what lurked under the surface of Horatio's empty eyes.

"I don't have time for this, Rick," Horatio managed to bite out. It was a mark of his deep professionalism that Stetler didn't flinch away from the bitter tone.

"Well maybe Lara needs you to take the time."

When Rick mentioned Lara's name, the emptiness shattered as if it had never been. A dim part of his mind registered he had been in shock, but he overrode it with action. "Calleigh," he spoke, finally managing to allow his brain to think about things that would help them, "have another translator check out the recording. I want to know what he was saying to me. It might help."

"On it." She vanished from his periphial vision, and Horatio heard one of the Hummer's pull out behind him. He turned his full attention on Stetler.

"Let's get this over with," he ordered. Without waiting for a response, he turned and sat himself in the driver's seat of his Hummer. It was on, so he buckled up and headed back for the department. Stetler watched him drive away.

~*~

"What is your relationship with Lara Jordan?" Stetler inquired half an hour later. Horatio steepled his fingers on top of the table. His brain was screaming at him that this was wasting valuable time, but he knew it was better to get it over with than put it off.

"Lara works for the department as a translator." Horatio knew, even in his confused state, that he had to keep his answers as vague as possible. Stetler narrowed his eyes.

"Yes. Says here," he casually rumbled, thumbing through a manilla file, "she is a linguist of exceptional skill. With an FBI background? How did you manage to get that?" Stetler's eyes were questioning with no trace of sympathy. He looked like a dog who had the cat cornered, and was past caring about its hissing.

"Lara came to Miami on vacation, and she preferred the atmosphere when compared to Quantico. She moved down here and applied for a job." Horatio was starting to lose himself in memories, and he bit his cheek to keep a firm hold on reality.

"The department has never needed an on-pay translator before. You've simply called in one when needed."

"Lara made it convenient," Horatio allowed. Stetler raised an eyebrow.

"What else did she make convenient?"

Horatio flew to his feet so fast that his chair clattered to the floor. He didn't seem to notice the glass walls surrounding him. The cat had given up hissing, and was reminding the dog he had needle-point claws. "A department official is missing, and you're asking me inane questions? I don't think so." He pushed back from the table where his hands had been planted, prepared to leave.

"I suggest you sit down, Lieutenant Caine, or you could be charged with impeding my investigation."

Horatio froze, feeling a bone-deep weariness come over him. He picked up the chair and sank in to it as if he had turned to jelly, his head in his hands. He realized that if he had any chance of saving Lara, he needed to tell the whole truth. It was like a knife was cutting through his mind and heart silmultaniously. It seemed Stetler had finally found his key to bringing down the department. "Ten months," he whispered, the words dragged out of him. Stetler sat back, crossing his legs.

"You've been together for almost a year?" He paused, waiting for conformation, and Horatio nodded without looking up. "And as far as you know, she would have nothing to do with--"

"She has nothing to do with anything that happened today," Horatio seethed, finally lifting his head to glare at Stetler. "She was called in to translate for Eoin De'Leary, and while doing so was made uncomfortable by the manner in which he treated her. I called to check up on her when she went home, and...He...picked up." Horatio's eyes blazed suddenly as if someone had lit a match behing them.

"I've been made aware of those events, Horatio. I need to know more about the two of you as an off-duty couple."

Horatio clenched his fists, then unclenched them. He hesitated. "Why?"

"Everything helps in these situations," Stetler consoled. He finally had sympathy in his voice and eyes, and Horatio was hard-pressed to find whether or not it was false. He let a deep breath out through his nose, and shrugged one shoulder. Stetler relaxed visibly. "I suggest you start from the first time you took her out unofficially..."


	5. Reflections

_The moon was bright, and the shine it left on the water was only broken when it sliced onto the sand. The air was hot and damp, leaving a humid atmosphere behind that was just on the comfortable side of suffocating. Horatio had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his feet bare as he stepped through the sand. Attached to one arm was a hand, which led to another arm. The second arm was tanner, and led up to a beautiful feminine smile. Right above the smile were brown eyes that shone brighter than the full moon above them._

_"Thank you, sir. I didn't expect--"_

_He cut her off. "Horatio."_

_She blinked at him, the edges of her mouth turning down into a confused frown. "Huh?"_

_He chuckled slightly. "I thought I told you to dispense with the 'sir' thing."_

_She smiled again, ducking her head shyly. "Sorry, sir." The two of them laughed, stepping lightly over shells and bits of seaweed. Horatio's stomach was pleasantly turning...an odd feeling, if not uncomfortable. He wasn't sure when the last time he had felt this strangely light was---Marisol, maybe? Maybe not. He should feel horrible about dating the woman he had just hired, but his sense of morals and ethics had turned low for a while. Her smile seemed to have that effect on him. She cleared her throat after a while, and continued on. "I didn't expect this. When daddy told me about Miami, he made it seem dark and horrible. Of course he's biased, given that he only comes down here to work high profile murders, but--"_

_She cut off abruptly when she noticed Horatio staring at her with an eyebrow raised. "Murders? Your dad is a cop?"_

_She shrugged, a clump of soft brunette hair falling into her eyes and hiding her expression. Before he could as much as twitch toward it, she cleared it away with delicate fingers. "FBI, actually. He's a profiler for the BAU, part of a team and stuff. He doesn't do it alone, despite the fact that he probably could." Horatio raised another eyebrow at her, and she shrugged again. "He's really good. I learned a lot from him..." _

_She trailed off here, and Horatio smiled down at the sand as they walked. "Like?"_

_She blushed, and even in the dark Horatio could see her cheeks color from the corner of his eyes. "I've been talking a lot. What about you?"_

_His muscles tensed, but he relaxed them immediately. "I like hearing about you," he mumbled. She smiled._

_"Deflection. You're uncomfortable now...and probably have been for a while. Judging from the little I know about you, dating coworkers is a strict no go. You made an exception for me, though." She paused. "Why?"_

_He tensed again, noting her quite apt statement about learning from her profiler father, then shrugged. "I don't know, Lara. I've been wondering that for a little while now. You're...different."_

_She laughed, a sudden burst that broke the night around them. "Thanks for noticing. My dad had a position for me in Quantico, but I turned it down. I could have worked for the FBI as a translator, but it didn't appeal..."_

_Horatio rose that eyebrow again. "So you decided to work as a translator in Miami instead? What a drastic change."_

_She huffed a breath of frustration, but she was smiling. "Miami has things that Quantico doesn't." _

_"Like?" Horatio had stopped when she had asked him why, and now he stared at her. Her beauty was more than skin deep; he had only known her for a week and he knew that. He brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, and she flushed again._

_"No snow..." Her voice was breathy, and it fluttered in the air between them. Horatio smiled, and a slight nod indicated she should continue. "Water all around...very scenic." A shiver ran through her when Horatio hummed affirmation and laid his forehead against hers. Her hair shrouded both of them in its thick brunette beauty, and he could see nothing but her eyes. He felt her bare arms pebble with goosebumps. Part of himself urged him to pull away and keep walking, but the part of him that felt free with her prevailed. "You..." she whispered._

_He pressed his lips to hers, and the free feeling turned into Cloud 9 on sand._

~*~

Horatio stopped suddenly when Stetler cleared his throat. The IAB agent looked like he regretted asking, but there was a resigned look in his eyes. He seemed to finally understand, and Horatio would have given up every shred of dignity he had for Stetler to feel what he felt: the desperation to get Lara back. He was on the verge of begging for Stetler to let him go so he could look for her, but the interrogator cut across him first.

"Our department knows where they make their headquarters." There was no need for him to elaborate further. Horatio perked up immediately, his voice hard and demanding.

"Where is it, Rick?"

Stetler squirmed, making it obvious without stating so that he wasn't supposed to say anything. Horatio pushed further. "I love her, Rick."

"Hashard Boulevard...abandoned shipyard. We've been planting men there so we could bust all of them on everything, but most of the men turn on us--"

Horatio was already gone.


	6. Revolutions

Lara drowsily opened her eyes, then regretted it when the light pierced straight through to her skull. She moaned around the cloth stuffed into her mouth, struggling to turn away from the blinding lamps, and realizing she was cuffed and thrown onto the wooden floor of some dirty building. She curled her lip in disgust, and grunted when she shifted again and pain shot through her ribs. She dimly remembered being kicked around a bit, but not much more than that. She shut her eyes tightly when she heard shouting coming toward her. There were two different languages screaming at one another; both men, and one of them was Eoin De'Leary. She tried to focus on translating and avoiding the burning pain throughout her abdomen.

"Go hifreann leat! Eistigi liom! Ni lia duine na tuairim. Is cuma liom! Éirinn go Brách." (_To hell with you! Listen to me! Everyone has their own opinion. I don't care! Ireland forever.)_

"Non e' stata colpa mia." (_It wasn't my fault.)_

An Italian! She had a chance. Italian and French were by far her best languages, with German being her worst. An excited shudder ran through her as a door slammed, and she cracked open one eye cautiously. A man stared at her, and the moment she saw him he stepped toward her. She flinched and pulled back, but not before a foot slammed into her arm. She moaned loudly, trying to turn away. The man glared down at her, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Italiano?" he demanded. She mumbled around the gag, but in the end was reverted to nodding. He smiled wickedly. "Bene." He reached down and removed the gag carefully. She tensed as he caressed her jaw, but in the end he only pulled away. She moved her mouth around, feeling a large ache from her cheek that she didn't remember getting. She tried to sit up as much as she could, which was only a few inches off the floor with her upper body. She realized now that her arms were connected to her feet by a braided rope, and she winced as she felt the bleeding rash around her wrists and ankles.

"Perchè?" she asked quietly, wanting to understand. He turned an ear toward her, and didn't comment for a moment. The pain lancing through every muscle of her flared for a moment, and she bit her lip harshly on a groan. No need to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was hurt. She knew Horatio would save her, and she wasn't afraid. Much.

"Tutto è permesso in guerra ed in amore." His voice was small and gruff, as if he were forcing himself to answer.

The response was so vague that she felt anger lash out over the pain. "This isn't war!" she shouted at him. She didn't bother to tell him it wasn't love; he would know already, if the indications around her were correct. Eoin had taken her because she was Horatio's love, and she knew it. A flash of confusion passed over his features, and she realized he must not speak anything but Italian. She assumed he at least spoke Irish, but now that she reflected on it that wasn't necessarily true. Eoin was yelling, not communicating, and this man was defending himself. She huffed a frustrated breath, and closed her eyes for momentary focus. Taking a deep breath, then wincing when it hurt, she ground out, "L'amore domina senza regole." Her mother had always told her that when she was a child, and it came to her unbidden now. (_Love rules without rules.) _The man seemed sad, suddenly, but it was only moments before he was angry again.

"L'amore e cieco!" he raged. His choice of words (_love is blind_) and the tender manner with which he was caring for her (other than that arm-smashing) seemed to point to the fact he had lost a loved one recently. An idea came to her...what if Eoin had killed his wife and/or family to demand service? She took another breath, cried out quietly when the pain flared up, and finally decided she couldn't argue anymore until she felt stable.

"Puo' darmi qualcosa per il dolore?"

He glanced swiftly at her, shaking his head even as he rushed, "No." She grunted in anger and confusion. Why wouldn't he give her something for the pain if he wasn't going to kill her? He was doing nothing!

"Perchè?" she petitioned him again. The anger flared in his dark eyes before he came over and kicked her once swiftly in the ribs, and this time she heard the crack as a white-hot pain raced through her.

_Maybe I was wrong about the forced-into-this part_, she mused as she slipped into blackness.

~*~

The shipyard was three hours away, an unforgivable distance in Horatio's opinion. They could be doing anything to her in the time it took for him to get there! Pushing that thought aside as his phone vibrated against the leather passenger seat, he reached over and flipped it open. The speakerphone kicked in automatically, and Natalia's voice rang through from the other end.

"We got the translation back, Horatio."

A rush of excitement went through him. "And?"

"When he said love was a sickness, he followed it up with 'the only cure for love is marriage'." Horatio drew in a quick breath. Why did Eoin seemed obsessed with the thought of Lara being married to him? It didn't add up. "Then, right before he hung up, he said 'Ireland forever'. Really the patriotic type, isn't he?" Her voice quivered, and Horatio could sense she was deeply worried about Lara. Almost as much as he was, and that softened his anger.

"We'll get him, Natalia."

A choked sob was followed quickly by a watery sigh. "Yeah. You better."

She clicked off before he could hear her crying, and he flipped the phone shut. He pressed the accelerator harder.

~*~

Sounds waved in and out of her ears. This time, she didn't even bother to open her eyes; she didn't want to see anything in this place. She heard the flutter of dozens of flags up in the rafters, and the sound of splashing water from outside. She heard fuzzy voices, as if the people were talking into a beehive, almost. The mental image was amusing. Horatio had always joked about how she laughed at the weirdest things...

Horatio. Was he already on his way? Did he even know she was missing? He could be so wrapped up in Eoin's case that he didn't bother to check. No, that wasn't like him at all. He would push everything to the side for her...it was one of the things she found both fascinatingly adorable and unbelievably irritating about him. A muscle twitched in her cheek when she thought about it, threatening to become a smile before the pain kicked in.

And there was a lot of it.

She forced her body to not shift, and that only hurt her more. Clenching her eyes shut, she tried to focus on anything else. The voices became clearer, then, and she honed in on them at once. A German had been added to the Italian man, and she could vaguely hear an Irish accent that wasn't Eoin's. Female. They seemed to all understand each other, and Lara felt tricked. Tears pricked at her eyes, and she had nothing to wipe them away with.

"Ich verstehe Sie nicht." (_I don't understand.) _Her German translation was iffy at best; she had always hated German, and refused to make it one of her resume languages.

"Chi più sa, meno crede," the Italian warned. (_The more one knows, the less one believes.) _The female hissed and cut across him.

"Is cuma liom!" _I don't care! _Her voice was near a shriek, and the similarity between she and Eoin was astounding. It had to be Shawna.

"Che cosa succede? Non e' grave." (_What's the matter? It isn't serious.) _He seemed laid back, and Shawna huffed in disbelief.

"Eoin says--"

"I'm done caring what the Irishman wants," the German drawled angrily. A resounding slap filled the room, and Lara flinched. A slamming door was the next sound Lara processed, and there was a stifling silence. The door opened again, and shut more quietly.

"Ovviamente," the Italian sighed. _Of course. _Lara froze. She was alone with him again? She shuddered, and heard him laugh quietly. Her ruse over with, she spoke up, keeping her eyes closed.

"Deve andare al commissariato." (_You must go to the police station.)_ Would he listen? She doubted it. His resounding laughter was a good answer.

"Io non penso." (_I don't think so.) _Lara felt herself deflate, and she gave up everything when he blindfolded her struggling face. She pursed her lips against further words, and he laughed again. It was quiet, after that.

~*~

_"Say something else," Horatio urged. Lara laughed loudly, delight strumming threw her like fluttering birds. She thought for a moment, then felt the perfect phrase come to mind._

_"_Finchè c'è vita c'è speranza_," she drawled. He chuckled, squeezing her closer on the couch and putting his lips against her neck._

_"Translation?" he mumbled, smiling when she shuddered at the feel of his words against her skin. _

_"Where there's life, there's hope," she whimpered, closing her eyes. He hummed, and she felt the vibration run through her. _

_"Interesting. That's a good one," he praised her. She smiled, running a hand behind her head and into his hair. His hands tightened where they rested against her waist, and he hummed again. "Your mother, I take it?"_

_She answered with an affirmative sound in the back of her throat. "She said a lot of weird Italian stuff like that..." she told him. He laughed, then trailed his kisses up behind her ear._

"Le amaré siempre y por siempre_," he promised into her ear. She shuddered, his Spanish declaration of forever love thrilling her as much as his breath in her ear._

_"_Siempre_," she echoed in a whisper._

~*~

_Where there is life, there is hope_. She clung to it like a mantra, laying on the floor of that shack as she was. She was alive, and therefore there was still hope. That memory came to her like many others did, but it stayed at the forefront of her mind when the others faded. She shuddered with cold, feeling her entire body protesting all different things. She was hungry, thirsty, hurt, and dizzy. The conflicting messages to her brain made it all that much more confusing, and she repeated her mantra again. _Where there is life, there is hope_...

"Miami-Dade police!" a familiar voice screamed out into the darkness. She jumped and ignored the pain that followed. Dozens of booted feet tramped across the floor, and scrambling sounds of people along the wall resounded. A gunshot rang out and she jumped again, crying out involuntarily at both the pain and the confusion. "Put it down, Eoin!"

"Ireland forever!" a deep Irish accent shouted in the pause that followed. Another gunshot rang out, and a body was clearly heard thumping against the floor. Lara cried out.

"Horatio!" Pain flared with her scream, but she didn't regret it for a moment. Hurried footsteps came closer to her, and the blindfold was taken off gently. She blinked in confusion.

Ryan held her down when she tried to sit up. "Stay down, Lara. You're hurt and bleeding..."

Lara struggled a bit before the pain held her down on its own. "Where's Horatio?" she mumbled.

Ryan hesitated before telling her to be quiet so he could help her. The ching of a pocketknife being revealed sounded behind her, and the ropes were cut through in a few moments. Blood rushed back to her limbs and she winced at the pins-and-needles feeling. She pushed up on her arms into a sitting position, then regretted it when her ribs protested the movement. Ryan touched her shoulder when she hissed. "What's wrong?"

"They broke my ribs," she bit out. "Where is he, Ryan?"

Ryan didn't answer her.

* * *

**Dun dun dun! Hopefully you're enjoying yourselves, and maybe a few of you are curious/concerned? Don't worry, all is well. (Hopefully!)**


	7. Rainy Day

_"I can't believe he did that!" Lara fumed. "It wasn't even an accident! Kid needs to learn how to ride a bike..." Horatio wrapped his arms around her, trying to hide his smile. He was busted, though, when she felt his chest shaking. She pushed him back. "You're laughing at me!" He laughed outright now._

_"Lara, it was a teenager who crashed his bike in the parking lot, not someone who drove at your car with the intent of leaving marks..."_

_"What teenager can't ride his damn bike!?" she thundered. He laughed harder, reaching for her again. She turned her back and crossed her arms, muttering under her breath angrily. He paused and watched her, shaking his head slowly. He took a few steps toward her and cautiously laid his hands on her shoulders. He put his mouth beside her ear, deliberately lowering his voice and whispering._

_"Your car is fine, Lara." She huffed, not responding. "I love you..." he tempted. She stiffened, and then relaxed with a sigh. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled into her hair, glad that he could make her see reason._

_"I love you too...even though you laughed at me."_

_He laughed again, and she turned in his embrace so he could hug her fully._

~*~

The ambulance ride was scary, in Lara's opinion. Ryan still hadn't told her anything, and the braces that the doctors had latched around her midriff prevented much more than breathing. Ryan placed a hand on her arm every time she whimpered, and even though he wasn't Horatio, she took a friendly comfort from it. He was her next best friend, after Natalia. Now that she was on a low dose of medication for the ride, her heart and head were the only things that hurt. She wanted Horatio.

"It...hurts," she managed to whimper. Ryan squeezed her hand.

"The pain meds are low dose until we get you to the hospital," he informed her patiently. He didn't seem to understand that it wasn't what she meant. She felt physically fine, if a bit sore. She wanted _him_ so bad it hurt! A tear seeped from under her closed eyelids, and Ryan cooed at her quietly as he wiped it away.

"_Oh, it's another rainy day. The sun isn't out to scare the dark away," _he sang gently to her. She took solace in it, as she always did when music played. Her father had often told her that her heart was connected to music, and that if it stopped playing she would stop breathing. Animals, music, and Horatio made up her life. Was that sad?

"_Step outside to try and wash you away," _she continued his song in a weak voice, feeling his hand squeezing support into her. "_Oh, it's another rainy day..." _Her breathing hitched as another tear fell, and they continued together.

"_Outside, a cloud is forming. In my heart, the rain is pouring down..."_

~*~

Having her ribs set was one of the most painful experiences she could ever remember. The other was falling out of a tree when she was four and breaking her arm. She didn't remember what she had been doing in a tree in the first place, and it gave the memory a funny tinge around the edges. She also had a fractured cheekbone and was dehydrated, so they had her connected to fluids and tossed into a bed. Ryan sat by closely, humming under his breath as he watched her carefully. She cracked a smile at him, but only one side of her mouth gave it effort.

"I'm not gonna disappear, Ryan," she teased him. He smiled back.

"You said that the first time," he joked. She avoided laughing, but she closed her eyes and smiled wider. Every time she had asked him about Horatio, he had deflected her. She was starting to get a bad feeling. If she wanted to know, she would have to weasel her way in to it. The mere thought of a challenge after what she had been through was exhausting.

"What were you humming?" she wondered curiously. A slight red tinge came to his cheeks, and she giggled. A bit of pain reminded her that laughing used sore stomach muscles, but the drugs she was on kept it to a low simmer.

"Sometime Around Midnight."

She quirked a brunette brow at him, and it reminded him of Horatio. He squirmed. "Airborne Toxic Event?" He nodded, and she smiled. "_And it starts sometime around midnight. Or at least that's when you lose yourself for a minute or two..."_

_"As you stand, under the barlight. And the band plays some song about forgetting yourself for a while."_

Lara's smile faded. "_The piano's this melancholy soundtrack to her smile."_

Ryan gestured toward her hospital gown and responded, "_In that white dress she's wearing you haven't seen her for a while."_

Lara didn't return his joking smile. "Where is he, Ryan?" she murmured. He flinched as if she had hit him.

"That isn't part of the song," he ventured. Her eyes must have been much harder than she realized, because he trembled when he looked at them. "He's with IAB."

"Internal Affairs?" She sat up hurriedly, and groaned when her stomach revolted. Ryan pushed her back down gently and flickered his eyes across both of hers.

"He's okay. He is just...in a bit of trouble," Ryan relented. She pushed him away with trembling hands.

"What kind of trouble? Ryan?" she demanded when he didn't answer her at first.

"He shot two people, Lara. Without reason."

She froze. "Who?"

"Giovanni Markas, from Italy. And Eoin."

Lara flinched, feeling an electric shock run through her as if she was struck by lightning. The beeping on her machine sped up and Ryan glanced toward it, but she pulled his attention back with a whimper. "They hurt me, Ryan."

Ryan nodded. "Stetler knows that. He isn't going to do anything, just following procedure. Not to mention--" Ryan cut off suddenly, and she glared at him. He pulled back a bit more. "When they tried to take him in, he punched a cop." She moaned in disbelief, clamping shut her eyes. "He wanted to get to you! They wouldn't let him check on you, and he snapped."

His defense of her forever love was endearing to her, and she cracked open one tightly shut eyelid. "Sorry, Ryan."

He looked puzzled. "For what?"

Her stubborn streak kicked in, and she found she couldn't explain further on her apology. She slid her eyes shut. "_But you know that she's watching. She's laughing, she's turning, she's holding her tonic like a cross..."_

Lara listened carefully for any sign that he would forgive her for pushing him around and snapping at him. She heard him sigh, and felt him sit beside her again. "_The room is suddenly spinning when she walks up and asks how you are..."_

~*~

Ryan slept, snoring quietly. Lara smiled and felt like the older sister, running a hand through his hair affectionately. The entire hospital was dark, and the blinds had been drawn hours ago against the twilight. The dimly lit clock above the door read two o'clock in the morning, and she sighed and squirmed. She couldn't sleep without seeing him.

The door creaked open slowly, and Lara caught her breath. The nurses had been in to check on her every few hours to make sure she was comfortable and that her ribs were setting right. She was pretty sick and tired, no pun intended, of being babied. This time, though, it was no nurse. Lara felt tears run down her face, although she had no idea why. She didn't wipe them away.

"Horatio!" she whispered joyfully. He came to her unoccupied side, settling down on her bed and wiping away her tears.

"Sleep, angel."

Sobbing into his shirt as she absorbed his scent, she did.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**First song is Rainy Day by the Plain White T's! 3 Reviews are love. =D**


	8. Romance of Vanilla Twilight

Home. The word had never before carried as much meaning to Lara Jordan as it did just then, walking through that front door. She shuddered at the delicious feeling of it, almost like a physical caress. Home after a week in the hospital was like a large triple chocolate brownie sundae with extra peanuts right after a long diet. She couldn't stop beaming, and she felt like she was seeing everything for the first time. Angel came running up to her, yipping excitedly and dancing in little circles. Lara laughed and leaned down to pet her head.

Horatio watched all this, feeling a tug at his heart. He had spent nearly every moment by her bedside, but there were several times when she had forced him to go home and catch up on some "real rest". After that first time when he had seen the fire in her eyes, he had ceased arguing. No one could quite pull off an angry stubborn streak like she could. There was no point, really, in arguing. It would have been like trying to teach a rock to talk, only slightly less productive. On those nights, laying in his bed alone for the first time in months, he had decided to study Italian. Not the language specifically, but a few choice phrases. He had been told that it was close to Spanish, which he was fluent in, and it had given him hope for a quick lesson or two. That had been fairly false, he realized belatedly. His blue eyes flickered over to the desk drawer where the ring was hidden for a moment before he realized Lara was watching him. She straightened up, the yellow silk fabric of her dress sliding like a waterfall of sunshine. He blinked at her, and watched as her eyebrows knitted. Busted.

"Hey, are you alright? You barely said anything on the ride home, and now..." She shrugged to complete her sentence. He caught his breath, then let it out slowly. He watched her tense up, and realized she was probably panicking and getting the completely wrong idea about his silence. Her eyes flared in alarm. "Horatio..."

He had been wondering how to best go about this, but decided with a nervous feeling building in his stomach that it was best to just do it. He glided over to the stereo and pushed play. He already had the CD and song set where he wanted them; he had been preparing this for almost a full month now. The voice of her favorite song came to life instantly, conveying his feelings for her in a slightly juvenile voice. She grinned from across the living room as she listened, mouthing along with the words. Some of his nervousness fluttered away, although she usually sang. Horatio knew how much she adored music, and she often displayed her feelings through song.

_The stars lean down to kiss you, and I lay awake and miss you. Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere._

He reached for her from his place in front of the stereo, and she stumbled over to him. He caught her in his arms and laughed quietly, barely heard over the music and her embarrassed giggles. "You look beautiful," he told her. She rolled her eyes at him.

"You say that all the time."

"It's always true," he promised as he slid his arms around her waist. They swayed slowly, a bit behind the music, and it was all the more romantic for being to their own beat.

_Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly, but I'll miss your arms around me. I'd send a postcard to you dear, cause I wish you were here._

Lara laid her chin on Horatio's shoulder, and he felt her contented sigh breeze passed his ear. If she felt the convulsive tightening of his grip around her, she showed no sign. Over her shoulder he let his eyes flicker to the drawer again, and the butterflies started up. Horatio couldn't help but notice they didn't flutter as heavily as before. The music picked up slightly and distracted him, and he mentally thanked it.

_I'll watch the night turn light blue. But it's not the same without you, cause it takes two to whisper quietly. The silence isn't so bad 'til I look at my hands and feel sad. Cause the spaces between my fingers are right where yours fit perfectly._

Horatio pulled away and Lara gazed up at him. He was reminded of that first night, on the beach, and he restrained himself from kissing her. It was too selfish. He might yearn for that Cloud Nine feeling again, but he refused to influence her in any way for her upcoming decision. She opened her mouth to speak, but he laid a finger over it. She blinked at him in confusion as he took a deep breath to silence the butterflies.

"Ti amo con tutta l'anima. Sei la ragione per cui vivo, per cui ogni giorno sorrido." He paused, clearing his throat. He had managed to not stumble so far and was quite proud of himself, but his stomach was starting to clench again. (_I love you with all my heart. You are my reason for living, for why I smile every day.)_ Lara gave him a watery smile, her eyes springing to life as they began to gleam with tears. He looked down at his hand, and was shocked to realize it was trembling. He cleared his throat again, trying to meet her eyes the best he could. "Voglio passare il resto della mia vita con te." (_I want to spend the rest of my life with you.)_ He stopped for a moment as she gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. He knew now that she understood, and the fact that she didn't seem to reject the idea was a reassuring tonic to him. He even managed a smile as he finished, "Lo sposereste?"

_(Would you marry me?) _

She flung herself at him, and he fell backward laughing as he was assailed with her flailing limbs. For a moment they were both tangled in her dress, but eventually she propped herself up on her elbows on either side of him and laughed. A few tears fell, and she wiped them away irritably. "Si, Horatio. Sei la mia anima gemella. Si si si si si!" She peppered him with enthusiastic kisses, and his arms tightened around her, beginning to laugh with her. (_You're my soulmate)_, indeed. There was another source of wetness on his face after a few moments, and he snorted as he pulled away from Angel's tongue. Lara laughed harder, clutching him as he pulled the both of them to their feet.

"So I did okay? Italian wasn't all that easy to learn, even though everyone says it's close to Spanish..." Horatio grinned.

"You did perfect, Horatio." She paused. "And they're not really that close. Maybe a few words, but I mean...why are you laughing?!"

He laughed outright then, her affronted glance too much to hold in. "I love you." He headed over to the drawer without hesitating, pulling out the ring for the last time. When he opened it to show her the glittering diamond inside, she began to cry again.

"Damnit, Horatio. You turned me into a freaking water faucet..." She whimpered softly as she brushed away the tears. He took her hand in his own, holding it for a moment before slipping on the diamond. Her breath caught at the look in his eye. "You okay?" she asked him for the second time that night. He brought his gaze to hers. The raw emotion there was enough to burn any other person, but Lara took it all in. "I love you too..." she replied, albeit a bit delayed. He smiled, though the emotion didn't leave.

"Te quiero con todo mi alma." (_I love you with all of my soul.) _

"Ah, going back to Spanish, huh?" She chuckled, then grinned. "Me encanta saber que estás conmigo." (_I love to know that you're with me.)_

"I am with you," he agreed immediately. "Every step of the way, sweetheart. Every step."

It was hard to tell who kissed who, but it didn't really matter. They finally had the title they had been searching for and, for the moment, there couldn't have been a better one.

_**FIN**_. (with part 1)

* * *

**What did you all think? If I get enough positive reviews, I may turn Lara and Horatio into a series! BTW, the song was Vanilla Twilight by Owl City. 3**


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